Railway-switch.



Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Mrerrfor E 6. Jackson Mk iii/0 8) THE NORRIS PETERS (20.. PHOTG-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST e. JACKSON, or MONTREA QUEBEcQcAN'ADA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennnsr G. JACKSON, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in switch stands, and the object is to provide simple and novel means for adjusting the throw of the operating lever, in order that the switch point may be always brought close against the main rail, and the device is designed as an improvement on my former Patent No. 996,858, granted July 4th, 1911.

It has been found that the adjusting screws of the previously patented device and all other screw or bolt adjustments very soon become practically inoperable, owing to rusting. Furthermore, such adjusting means frequently necessitate that the switchman or section man carry special tools to effect the adjustment. To overcome these disadvantages, the present invention provides a switch stand of substantially the usual form, having a substantially quadrantal bracket limiting the throw of the switch. The ends of this bracket are provided as in the former invention with Wedge-shaped blocks, against which the switch stand lever bears during its movement to depressed position. The adjusting means for these blocks comprises a series of shims, any desired number of which may be placed between the wedge block and the bracket. WVhen not in use, the shims are stored under the bracket. To avoid the use of belts or the like which rust, the wedge blocks are each provided with a slotted shank, extending through the bracket ends and through all shims and secured by a wedge driven through the slot. To prevent loss of the shims, the same are mounted on a suitably shaped rod attached to the switch stand.

111 the drawings which illustrate the in-- vention:Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2

is a front elevation showing the base broken away. Fig. 3. is a side elevation broken away similarly to Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the bracket illustrating a slightly alternative form.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates a pedestal of approximately the usual design, in which is journaled a vertical mast 6- to which the target is attached. At the upper end of the pedes- Specification of Letters Patent. P t t t 2 Application filed July 16, 1 13. Serial 110,729,369.

tal, a substantially quadrantal bracket 7 is formedhaving depending 'endplates 8 arranged in vertical planes, approximately 90 apart. A. head 9 is rigidly secured to the mast above the bracket 7 and is provided with the usual jaws 10, between which the handle 11 is pivotally mounted. The top of this head is closed with the exception of a slot 12, throughwhich the apertured upper extremity 13 of the handle projects during depressed handle position for the purpose of attaching the usual locking means.

To the remote faces of the bracket ends 8, the wedge-shaped adjusting blocks 14: are applied, these blocks being each supported by a slotted shank 15 passing through an aperture 16 inthe bracket end; These blocks are themselves approximately rectangular in shape, to accord with the travel of the lever 11 in its vertical, movements. To further secure the adjusting blocks, the bracket ends are provided with flangesl'? engaging the curved edges of the blocks.

The shims 18, by means of which the position of the blocks is adjusted, are each of substantially the sameshape as the blocks, and are apertured at 19 for the passage of the shanks 15. These shims are further each provided with a tail 20 apertured at 21. A suitably curved wire or rod 22 passes through the apertures 21 of the shims, and is secured at its ends to the pedestal below the bracket. This rod 22 holds the shims against removal from the switch stand, so that they cannot be lost or thrown away. The adjusting blocks 14 and shims are locked in position by a wedge 23, passing through the slot of the shank 15. For convenience in driving these wedges, the bracket is apertured at 24 directly above the wedges.

When the switchstand lever is unlocked and thrown from one end of the bracket to the other, it shifts the'switch points in the well known manner. The amount of throw thusgiven presses the switch points against r the main line rail about as tightly as can be readily done by hand The depressing movement of the lever, however, forces the same to travel over the inclined surface of the adjusting blocks 141, which produce a slight further turning and thus press the i switch points very closely against the rails. This adjustment is not perpetually eflicient, as creeping of'the rails and other causes operate in time to destroy it, so that it becomes necessary to adjust the throw of the switch stand lever to effect the desired switch throw. When this is to be done, one or both of the wedges 23 is knocked up with ahammer or even a stone and the adjusting block drawn out. One or more shims are then taken from the storage between the bracket ends, swung down clear of the bracket end, moved along the rod 22, and swung up against the outer face of the bracket end. The adjusting block is then replaced and the wedge 23 driven home. It will thus be seen that normally the distance between the wedge and the back of the adjusting block remains the same, unless of course shims are transferred from one end of the bracket to the other. When the switch is thrown to either position and the handle locked, the pressure thereof against the outer face of the adjusting block hoIds the block against removal and prevents any tampering with the adjustment.

While the device has been shown with a wedge-shaped adjusting block and parallel faced shims, this arrangement may if desired be reversed, as shown in Fig. 4, in which the adjusting block 14 is shown parallel sided and the shims 18 each slightly wedge-shaped.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and adjusting blocks at the ends thereof, of

' means insertible between the bracket and blocks for adjusting the position of saic blocks.

2. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and adjusting blocks on the ends thereof, of a plurality of members movably mounted between the ends of the bracket insertible betweeneither end of said bracket and either adjusting block, whereby the position of said block will be adjusted.

3. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket, and switch lever engaging blocks on the ends thereof, of a plurality of shims insertible singly or collectively between either end of the bracket and eitherblock. 4. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and switch lever engaging blocks on the ends thereof, of a plurality of shims insertible singly or collectively between either end of the bracket and either block, and a rod passing through all of said shims and secured at its ends to the switch stand.

5. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and switch lever engaging blocks, of apertured end plates on said bracket, slotted shanks on said blocks insertible through the end plate apertures, and wedges insertible through the slots of said shanks.

6.111 a switch stand, the combination with a. switch throw limiting bracket and switch handle engaging blocks, of apertured end plates 011 said bracket forming abutments for said blocks, slotted shanks on said blocks insertible through said apertures, wedge slots in said bracket, and wedges insertible through said bracket slots into the shank slots adapted to hold the blocks in position.

7. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and switch lever engaging blocks, of apertured end plates on said bracket, slotted shanks on said blocks insertible through the end plate apertures, a plurality of shims movable from one face of said bracket end plate to a position between the other face thereof and said block, and a wedge passing through said shank slot holding the block and all shims to the bracket end.

8. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and switch lever engaging blocks, of apertured end plates on said bracket, a plurality of shims apertured similarly to said bracket ends, a slotted shank on said block insertible through said end plate and shim apertures, and a key insertible in the sham: slot arranged to hold said block and shims to the end plate, and means permanently attaching said shims to the switch stand.

9. In a switch stand, the combination with a switch throw limiting bracket and switch lever engaging blocks, of apertured end plates for said bracket forming abutments for said blocks, a plurality of shims movable from one face of said end plate to a position between the opposite face and one of said blocks, each of said shims being apertured similarly to the end plates, slotted shanks on said blocks insertible through the end plate and shim apertures, wedge slots in said bracket, wedges insertible through said slots into the shank slots adapted to hold the blocks and all shims to the end plates, an apertured tail on each shim, and a rod. pass: ing through the apertures of all tails having its ends secured to the switch stand.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, 1n the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST G. JACKSON. \Vi tnesses S. R. W. ALLEN, G. M. MonnLANo.

Copies of this 'patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

